# Is there any place to donate blood besides the Red Cross? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 3, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922 "2005-09-03T19:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/1 "2005-09-03T19:42:25Z")
My step-father is a very regular platelet donor. But he really doesn’t like the Int’l Red Cross political stance. He’d prefer to donate somewhere else, but doesn’t know of anywhere else that accepts blood products. Is there an alternative, or do they have the monopoly? StG ---
**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/2 "2005-09-03T20:01:54Z")
He might be able to donate at a local hospital. He can call around to blood labs to see if they accept donations. In Rhode Island, you can also go to the RI Blood Bank, which centralizes all donations and provides mobile locations. Maybe his state has something similar? ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/3 "2005-09-03T21:24:23Z")
One, he’d be donating through the American Red Cross, not the International Red Cross. Two, why should it make a difference? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/4 "2005-09-03T21:43:27Z")
Our local blood bank is accepting donations for the hurricane. Do you have a non RC blood bank? Give 'em a call. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/5 "2005-09-03T22:30:09Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > But he really doesn’t like the Int’l Red Cross political stance. He’d prefer to donate somewhere else, but doesn’t know of anywhere else that accepts blood products. Is there an alternative, or do they have the monopoly? I understand that _everything_ is political, but just out of curiousity, what stance doesn’t he like? I think of them as a relatively apolitical organization. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/6 "2005-09-04T00:13:46Z")
> **[Home](https://americasblood.org/)** > > America’s Blood Centers is the national organization bringing together community-based, independent blood centers. Learn More ABC Members can connect and exchange ideas through ABC CollABOrate! Find a Blood Center ABC member blood centers serve... You can search for a local blood bank at that website. My husband, my oldest son, and I are every 8 week donors at our [local blood bank](http://www.bbr.org/index.html), although I think my husband just received a letter informing him that he can donate 2 pints at one time every 3 months or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/7 "2005-09-04T01:21:03Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > My step-father is a very regular platelet donor. But he really doesn’t like the Int’l Red Cross political stance. He’d prefer to donate somewhere else, but doesn’t know of anywhere else that accepts blood products. Is there an alternative, or do they have the monopoly? > > StG where I donate, I don’t think the Red Cross is even a factor. At least I never see them running blood drives and such. The local hospitals have banded together and created a couple of organizations that collect blood. (New Orleans area. I was the last person into the donation center before they shut down the center and locked the doors Saturday afternoon. People were getting nervous at about that time.) ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/8 "2005-09-04T01:25:06Z")
I live in Louisiana as well and I’ve always donated to LifeShare, which I think is a state thing. Perhaps there is a similar place in your area as well. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/9 "2005-09-04T03:49:02Z")
**Harimad-sol, psycat-90** - Your organizations seem to be linked, however, there doesn’t seem to be one in Nashville. Three in Chattanoona, one in Memphis, several other scattered around Tennessee, but none in Middle Tennessee. The local Red Cross _seems_ to be the place where everyone goes for blood donations, but we have lots of hospitals. He donates platelets by apheresis every couple weeks **wevets, JonScribe** - I’m not exactly sure exactly what his problem is with the Red Cross, but he considers the American Red Cross and arm of the Int’l Red Cross. StG ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/10 "2005-09-04T04:28:29Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > **Harimad-sol, psycat-90** - Your organizations seem to be linked, however, there doesn’t seem to be one in Nashville. Three in Chattanoona, one in Memphis, several other scattered around Tennessee, but none in Middle Tennessee. The local Red Cross _seems_ to be the place where everyone goes for blood donations, but we have lots of hospitals. He donates platelets by apheresis every couple weeks > > **wevets, JonScribe** - I’m not exactly sure exactly what his problem is with the Red Cross, but he considers the American Red Cross and arm of the Int’l Red Cross. > > StG What is wrong with being an arm of the “International Red Cross”? ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/11 "2005-09-04T04:34:18Z")
So he doesn’t like their stance, but will they still take his donation and bring it to those who need it? It’s not like they’re going to take 20% of his platelets for adminstrative uses. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/12 "2005-09-04T04:50:53Z")
It’s not like he’s witholding blood because he doesn’t like them. He does more than almost anyone as far as donation goes. Apheresis takes a long time. THey take out the blood, spin out the platelets and put the rest back in, but you can donate more often. He’d just rather give to some other organization. And since the Red Cross charges for the blood products they collect, that’s not unreasonable. StG ---
**Author:** ![Col.Hogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Col.Hogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Col.Hogan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/13 "2018-03-14T13:48:01Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > So he doesn’t like their stance, but will they still take his donation and bring it to those who need it? It’s not like they’re going to take 20% of his platelets for adminstrative uses. They try to hide this fact, but the Red Cross sells your blood. They get anywhere from $150 - $250 a pint. [Does the Red Cross sell blood?](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/09/the_business_of_blood.html) As for their politics, the Red Cross whitewashed the atrocities committed against American POWs by the Nazis and probably the Japanese. My uncle was a POW, and he hated the Red Cross. Some info here, although much of this history is hidden, especially if you went to a government school. [How the Red Cross Failed Europe's Jews & American POW's](http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/how-the-red-cross-failed-europe-s-jews-and-american-pow-s) ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/14 "2018-03-14T15:21:01Z")
I think there’s a regional factor. In the Southwest, my husband gave to United Blood Services enough to get t-shirts and other stuff. Here in the southern high plains, it’s Coffee Memorial Blood Center. I don’t remember the last time he gave to the Red Cross. I’d give too, but they won’t take mine. I lived in Europe in the early 1980’s. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/15 "2018-03-14T15:40:00Z")
> [@Col.Hogan](#): > > They try to hide this fact, but the Red Cross sells your blood. They get anywhere from $150 - $250 a pint. [Does the Red Cross sell blood?](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/09/the_business_of_blood.html) > > As for their politics, the Red Cross whitewashed the atrocities committed against American POWs by the Nazis and probably the Japanese. My uncle was a POW, and he hated the Red Cross. Some info here, although much of this history is hidden, especially if you went to a government school. [How the Red Cross Failed Europe's Jews & American POW's](http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/how-the-red-cross-failed-europe-s-jews-and-american-pow-s) That article(from 2006) makes mention of the fact that the cost covers operating expenses. The Red Cross is a non-profit. > [@](#): > > Yes. All the centers that supply blood for transfusions—whether they’re part of the American Red Cross or not—sell their products to cover operating expenses. WW2 was over 73 years ago. The people responsible for those decisions are long dead. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/16 "2018-03-14T15:41:05Z")
> [@Col.Hogan](#): > > They try to hide this fact, but the Red Cross sells your blood. They get anywhere from $150 - $250 a pint. [Does the Red Cross sell blood?](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/09/the_business_of_blood.html) From your linked article: > [@](#): > > All the centers that supply blood for transfusions—whether they’re part of the American Red Cross or not—sell their products to cover operating expenses. Out of curiosity, how else do you expect blood collection centers to cover their costs? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/17 "2018-03-14T15:54:25Z")
In Minnesota there are Memorial Blood Centers in addition to the Red Cross. But it looks to be a state thing. ---
**Author:** ![StraightTalk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straighttalk/32/9982_2.png) [@StraightTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StraightTalk)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/18 "2018-03-15T20:28:27Z")
I this really a 13 year old resurrected thread? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-place-to-donate-blood-besides-the-red-cross/319922/19 "2018-03-15T20:48:44Z")
> [@StraightTalk](#): > > I this really a 13 year old resurrected thread? Yes, and it’s not uncommon for this to happen here. It’s nearly always a case of someone stumbling across the old thread while doing a Google search on a topic, and deciding to make a comment on it (and very likely not realizing that it’s a old discussion). The “resurrector” is nearly always a new user to the SDMB (having had to create an account to comment), and is usually never seen again. Far less frequently, someone (usually an established board member) intentionally resurrects a “zombie thread,” in order to add new or updated information to it.